Facets 6: There You'll Be
by Avonnalay-Ariemay
Summary: She’d just always been there, reassuring him in her own quiet way that things would work out in due time. She knew him, and she knew how to get through his thick head and make him realize so much that he’d overlooked. Were all sisters like that?


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**Disclaimer:** Naruto and the characters in these fic does not, and will never, belong to me. That wonderful honor goes to Kishimoto-sama. So don't sue….not that I've got anything anyone else would want anyway.

**A/N -**Yes, I'm back with my latest installment of one-shots centering around the different characters in the Naruto universe. This time up….the wonderful brother/sister combo of Hana and Kiba. I hope ya'll enjoy this one, because it was inspired by my own little brother after he finally made me realize he doesn't keep me around just to cook and clean. Huh, go figure…...I never would have really known.

**P.S. - **

_Oh, and just so everyone realizes…I know absolutely squat about traditional Japanese marriage ceremonies. With that being said, I'm using my creative license (whips out sparkly 'Author's Card' that entitles me to screw with details to fit my whims) to base this entire thing on typical American-type weddings. Hey, it's the only kind I know of! Don't like, then ignore the story and hit the back button._

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And on a final note, the song 'There You'll Be' belongs to it's respectful originator. I don't own that either, unfortunately.

* * *

**Life's Little Facets: #6  
There You'll Be**

* * *

"You're going to make yourself miserable if you keep thinking about it."

"I don't need your input right now, bug-boy." Kiba growled, pulling at the neck of the formal attire. He could feel the sweat beginning to accumulate under the clothing and wished for the thousandth time in the two hours since the reception had begun that he could just tear the damned thing to shreds and be done with it.

"There's nothing you can do about it now," Shino said simply, pulling Kiba's attention from the noose that was his collar, "You agreed to let her do this without causing any trouble."

"I've changed my mind," Kiba answered sullenly.

"Too late. She's married now," the other man commented. Kiba just glared and glowered sullenly as Shino walked calmly away, disappearing into the thick crowd of people milling around the large room. Kiba smothered another growl and left the refreshment table, dodging the members of the Inuzuka High Council, and plopped ungracefully into one of the multitudes of uncomfortable plastic chairs that filled the reception hall.

He glanced through the throngs of people, all happy and chatty and congratulating the newly hitched couple….one half of which was his only sister.

"If we could have the bride and her brother come to the center of the dance floor, please," the DJ called out. Kiba slunk down in his chair, trying to make himself invisible.

At his feet, Akamaru gave a warning growl.

"Kiba, that's your cue," came an amused voice from behind him as he was forcefully lifted from his seat and placed unceremoniously on his feet, "Get a move on, will you? She's waiting for you."

"I don't wanna dance," he scowled back at the pink-haired woman. Sakura placed her hands on her hips and gave him the _look_ that he, along with every other shinobi in the village, had become so familiar with over the years. The one that promised unimaginable amounts of pain and torment if the recipient of said look did not do exactly what Sakura had requested within the next two seconds.

"She's your sister. And the first dance is supposed to be dedicated to the bride and her father," Sakura pointed out, sending him the same '_you're an idiot_' look that she'd perfected for Naruto so many years ago. Kiba stilled immediately and looked up where Hana was disentangling herself from her new husband.

He huffed in annoyance.

Sakura ground her teeth in frustration. "I realize you're probably having second thoughts about this, but really, Kiba. It's your sister's wedding. Quit pouting like a scolded puppy and go dance with her. You owe her that much at least."

And once again, Kiba realized he was not going to win this argument with the pink haired medic.

That'd been happening a lot as of late.

"Kiba!" Hana called, smiling happily and gesturing for him to come out to the cleared dance floor. "Come on."

Kiba glanced back at Sakura and weighed his options. He could go out there, dance with his sister, and get it over with. Or he could stay right were he was, feign deafness, and hope Hana and/or Sakura didn't dismember him later on.

He went with option number one.

"You look like someone who's about to be beheaded, runt." Hana said quietly as the music began to filter through the speakers. "Something wrong?"

He could tell her the truth. He could tell her that he was having second thoughts about her marriage and that he wanted her to call the whole thing off and tell her new husband to go take a long jump off a short cliff. He could stop this entire mess before it went any further.….but he wouldn't

"You know I can't dance. I'm gonna step all over your shoes," he answered with a half-grin.

"They'll survive, runt. Get over here," she smiled, taking his hand in hers as the song began. Kiba fell into step and tried not to realize that it should have been their father there, giving her away to the man who'd she'd fallen in love with, dancing with her to a song that Kiba knew she'd chosen especially for her brother…not her father. Kiba swallowed and tried not to let his feelings slip and show Hana exactly how miserable he was on what should have been the happiest day of her life. He couldn't help it, though. Kiba remembered so well when they were children, and how she would pull the superiority complex on him when they tussled and fought.

He remembered how his reactions to losing the fights were to pout and whine and growl and snap at her. Hana would just grin and pick him up, throwing him into the pack of dogs that roamed around the Inuzuka compound. It was nothing but kid's antics. Fights between siblings that would result in snapping teeth from Kiba and caustic retorts from Hana to anyone who dared to separate them before they had well and truly left each other black and blue.

**_When I think back on these times and the dreams we left behind  
I'll be glad cause was blessed to get to have you in my life_**

He smiled as the sudden memories jumped to the forefront.

"Uh-uh. I don't like that grin," Hana said, smiling up at him, "What are you plotting, Kiba?"

"Nothing you need to worry about, nee-san."

"The day I don't worry about you will be the day Tsunade-sama gives up alcohol."

And just like that, Kiba felt guiltier than he'd felt all day. It was just like her to be able to make him feel like the lowest of the low.

__

**When I look back on these days, I'll look and see your face  
You were right there for me**

She'd always worried about him, he realized. Hana had always had his back when he was younger. Sure, he'd been teased mercilessly as a child, mostly because the other little boys would rib him about Hana's presence when she'd come get him from school.

After all, she was a girl. And no self-respecting little boy liked to admit that his family consisted of himself, his older sister, and his mother.

Back then, Kiba had honestly been ashamed that the only sibling he had was a sister, not a brother. It was bad enough that the entire village knew his father wasn't around anymore; he'd wished for so long that Hana had been born male just so he wasn't the only male in their three-person family. Sure, there were the other guys in their extended family, plenty of cousins and uncles to teach him what he needed to know. But it was never the same.

The other children realized that, and while most left him be, never mentioning it, a few had taken it upon themselves to remind Kiba of his fatherless status on a regular basis.

And it was when Hana had personally sent every one of the bullies running away that Kiba had finally realized that having an older sister, might not be so different than having an older brother.

It wasn't long after that little incident that Kiba had entered the Academy and began his preliminary training to become a Konoha shinobi. It had been Hana who had helped him, who had taken the time to help him master not only the basic jutsu being taught to him at the Academy, but the specialized jutsu held sacred to the Inuzuka clan.

_"Where did you learn that one from? I've never seen anyone in the clan do it before! Did Kaa-san show you that?"  
"She didn't teach me that jutsu, Kiba. Someone else did."  
"Iruka-sensei?"  
"Nah. Not him."  
"One of your teammates?"  
He'd pestered her, pleaded with her, begged her to teach him the more advanced techniques, especially after he'd been partnered with Akamaru._

In his adolescent mind, Hana had transformed from the aggravating, dominating older sister to almost goddess like status after she'd sent the bullies running. And besides, she had three dogs of her own, and she knew the family jutsu.

And she didn't mind showing him the techniques that their mother thought was too dangerous for him to even attempt.

_"No, Kiba. My teammates don't even have the chakra to attempt that jutsu."  
"Well who?"  
"Dad," she said quietly, kicking at the clumps of dirt he'd thrown up. "He made me promise to teach them to you when you started Academy if he wasn't around to do it himself."  
"He…he did? Really?"  
"Yeah, runt. He did."  
"Oh."_

She may not have been a male. But that evening, standing in a clearing not far from the gates of Konoha, Kiba never would have begun to realize exactly how much of an impact his sister would have on his life.

Hana probably would have wanted it that way.

_**In my dreams I'll always see you soar above the sky  
In my heart there'll always be a place for you  
For all my life**_

"You're spacing out on me, Kiba. Are you sure you're okay? You've been quiet all day," Hana said, peering at him carefully.

Kiba just grinned and shoot his head. "I'm fine. Just biding my time to get out of this monkey-suit."

Hana laughed. "You've only got a few more hours. Then you can shred it to bits if you'd like."

"Promise?"

"Promise."

Promise. Huh. He wondered if she realized how much he'd relied on the promises she'd made him since they were children. That had always been sacred between them. If one of them made a promise to the other, they'd go through hell and high water to make sure the promise was fulfilled.

__

**I'll keep a part of you with me  
And everywhere I am there you'll be**

Hana had once promised she'd make it back from a mission in time to take him camping for his birthday. She'd made it back alright, and then spent his birthday and two days after that in the hospital recovering from exhaustion, hypothermia, and chakra depletion.

She'd pushed herself so hard trying to get back to Konoha in time for his birthday that she'd almost killed herself and her dogs in the process. But she was there for his birthday, just like she'd promised him. That was all that had mattered to Kiba.

The fall out from that had not been good. The Hokage had reprimanded Hana for acting fool-heartedly and reckless. She'd been chastised by the Council, bitched at by their mother, and griped at by her sensei. She'd taken it all in stride, though. Ignoring most of their mother's ranting and telling her sensei he'd do better to worry about separating Aoi and Makoto before they tore each other apart over the last dumpling in the pot.

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**And everywhere I am there you'll be**

After that, Kiba had promised to make sure no one ever again condemned Hana in a way that they shouldn't. After all, she was his sister. He could say what he wanted about her. That didn't mean anyone else could. They had _papers_, for crying out loud!

So when Kiba wound up in the principal's office during school one day, trying to explain exactly why he'd given an older boy a black eye during lunchtime, it was his sister who had understood and empathized with him. After all, he had promised her that no one else would ever talk about her in a bad way and not get whipped up and down the playground for it.

His mother, on the other hand, was not so understanding.

When Kiba told Hana what had happened, and how and why the fight had started, she just chuckled and ruffled his messy hair.

__

"What are you doing, sis?"  
"Shut up and follow me. And be quiet!"  
"Wha…"  
"Come on, Kiba. We've gotta be quick before mom gets back."  
"Where are we going?"  
"You'll see. Move it, brat."  
"So what happened?"  
"Some guy was talking crap. I shut him up."  
"That's what you told mom. Now what really happened? I heard the guy got sent to the hospital afterwards."

Yeah, he had sent the bastard to the hospital. And the loudmouthed chuunin had been lucky that's all Kiba had done to him. No one called Hana crazy, let alone a crazy bitch, except him, damnit!

__

"He wouldn't shut his mouth about yo…the clan. Kept saying we were a bunch of flea-bitten mongrels who wouldn't know how to act normal if our lives depended on it."  
"And you attacked him for it?" she asked incredulously. "Way to reinforce the stereotype, little brother."  
"I couldn't help it! He had it coming, calling you a bitch!"  
"Is that what this is all about? Some stupid kid calling us names?"  
"You're not a bitch!"  
"Okay, runt. Calm down." she said, quickly gesturing to a sweet shop they had stopped in front of. "Take your pick."  
"Huh?"

He hadn't known it at the time, and wouldn't know for years afterwards, that Hana had been proud of him for standing up for her. Kiba had honestly thought she was going to lecture him for hours on end like their mother had done.

__

"It's the least I can do for having you try to defend my honor from some loud mouthed brat who doesn't know anything about our clan."  
"Kaa-san grounded me, Hana."  
"Yeah. So? What she doesn't know won't hurt any of us, right? And I'm not gonna tell her anything. You?"  
"Uh-uh! Not a thing."  
"Then we're fine. So don't worry 'bout it."

Kiba still didn't know how Hana had managed to get both of them out of the compound with their mother knowing. But he had a sneaking suspicion it involved a couple of clones and some well placed white-lies that had never been caught.

__

"Alright! I get in trouble and then get treats!"  
"Don't make yourself sick, Kiba." she amended when he started to order three different types of candy and ice cream. "And you sure as hell better not make a habit of this."  
"Aww…nee-san…"  
"I mean it," she admonished.  
"So why'd you sneak me outta the compound if you were just gonna lecture me like mom did?"  
"I wanted to congratulate you on getting the Juujin Bushin technique correct." she answered, ruffling his hair and grinning. "Two of you attacking one person is enough to make anyone cringe."  
"I got it right, though." he said proudly. "I told you I'd figure it out sooner or later."  
_"So you did."  
"It was a good thing I did, too."  
"Why's that?"  
"That guy was huge!"_

Even to this day, Kiba still remembered the howling laughter she had let loose when he'd proudly said that. It was one of his favorite memories, seeing her so at ease and open with him. He didn't know it then, but it would be a long time before she looked so happy again.

**__**

Well you showed me how it feels to feel the sky within my reach  
And I always will remember all the strength you gave to me

Things were changing in Konoha. But as they grew, as they aged, the sibling bond only became stronger and stronger. As he worked his way through the Academy, she struggled to work her way through the vet classes she'd so loved. She was so dedicated, so thoroughly sure of what she'd wanted to do. Kiba still remembered the nights he'd come bug her, just to get her away from the books and scrolls she'd spread out around her room. Eventually, his persistent pestering would degenerate into a friendly brawl that had their mother yelling at both of them to calm down before they hurt each other, or even worse, broke another lamp or table.

He remembered the nights he'd crawl out of bed and find her slumped over a desk or the arm of a couch where she'd fallen asleep studying. Kiba had never understood her ability to retain and learn from book. He certainly couldn't learn like that. But he didn't begrudge her for what she could do. In fact, he was quite proud of the fact that she had the drive to learn something as complex as veterinary medicine. Books, he realized early on, was something he did not have much of an aptitude for. But still, she trudged on, always such a constant presence in his life.

**__**

Your love made me make it through  
Oh, I owe so much to you

She'd patched him up after that failed attempt to bring Sasuke back when the Uchiha had run off to join Orochimaru's little freak show.

Hana had been the one to figure out a way to cure Akamaru of that lethal virus he'd contracted all those years ago, risking her own life to make an attempt to save his familiar's.

And after the fight with Akatsuki that had claimed their mother's and Kuromaru's life, and left him in a coma for nearly three weeks, he had been told by the nursing staff of the hospital that Hana had refused to move from her spot at his side until he'd woken up. The only exception had been to attend their mother's funeral.

Kiba blinked in sudden realization.

Hell, was there anytime she hadn't been there? A time when she wasn't piecing him back together or getting him out of trouble?

So many times, he had wondered if there was anything Hana couldn't do.

**__**

You were right there for me

She'd just always been there, reassuring him in her own quiet way that things would work out in due time, teaching him lessons that he never would have learned without her interfering. She knew him, and she knew how to get through his thick head and make him _realize _so much that he'd overlooked.

Her biggest lesson to him had happened after a nasty breakup with his long time girlfriend, a kunoichi named Amaya. All Kiba had wanted to do was forget all about women in general after that fiasco. He'd started drinking to forget about his ex-lover, and it had gotten out of hand quickly.

He had known good and well Hana didn't approve of his coping methods, especially since she rarely indulged in alcohol herself. But she never said anything to him. And more than one time, Hana had run interference so that their mother wouldn't rip Kiba apart when he came home drunker than a skunk.

**__**

In my dreams I'll always see you soar above the sky  
In my heart there'll always be a place for you  
For all my life

But, like most things in life, it all came to a head one night. He'd been out on his own, drowning his sorrows in a bottle and trying desperately to forget the betrayal he'd been handed by the woman who had claimed to love him unconditionally. After a few hours of heavy drinking, he'd wound up getting into some trouble with a few of the bar's regular patrons. The ensuing fight had decimated the inside of the pub, left two other Konoha shinobi clinging to life, and caused his sister more harm than he'd ever meant to put her in. The next morning was just the wake-up call he had needed.

__

"Damn! Who cut the lights on?" he growled, pulling the covers up over his head.  
"It's called sunlight, Kiba,"  
"Shut it ooooffff." he whined.  
"My sympathy for you right now is non-existent, runt. Suck it up."  
"Huh? Sis?" He pulled the blanket down a bit and peeked out, only to groan and duck his head back underneath when he realized the sun was, in fact, out and shining brightly.  
"Not feeling so good this morning, huh?" she asked dryly. Kiba ignored the obvious jab, wanting nothing more than for her to leave and let him go back to sleep. He growled and rolled over, tucking his head underneath the pillow.  
"The hell happened? Feels like I've been run over by a heard of elephants."  
"No elephants." she answered, her voice muffled and distorted thanks to the pillow he was trying to valiantly stuff into his ear canals. Kiba whined and curled up into a ball. Off to the side, he heard Akamaru give a reassuring yip. "But you did trash Omi's place last night in a fit of temper." She chuckled lightly, and he figured the damage couldn't have been that bad if she was laughing about it. "He's banned all Inuzuka from the bar until further notice."  
"Probably isn't much left."  
"Not really. Here, I brought you something for the hangover."  
"Just leave it on the table. I'll get it in a little bit."  
"You'll get it now, or I'm not going to let you sleep." she answered calmly. "The blinds are shut, so you can unstuff your head from the pillow." Kiba groaned and slowly detangled himself from the mess of bedding he'd managed to cocoon himself in as the night went on. He grumbled and groaned, peaking his head out and squinting to make sure the room was not as bright as before. He felt the bed dip as Hana sat down next to him. "Here. Aspirin to kill the headache and water to wet your throat."  
Kiba reached for the glass and pills, still groaning.  
"This ain't gonna wor…..what the hell happened to you!"  
"You're not the only one who wound up fighting last night." she said shortly, shoving the pills and glass of water into his hands before rising stiffly from the bed. Kiba shook his head and blinked, not sure he was really seeing what he thought he was seeing.  
Hana was moving slowly and favoring her left leg. But the thing that made him take notice were the dark splotches that covered the entire left side of her face. His confusion suddenly spiraled with an unimaginable anger.  
"What the hell happened to you?" he repeated.  
"Nothing you need to worry about, runt. Now take the medicine and get some rest. I've got an appointment at the hospital to be checked out."  
"Who did this?" he growled angrily. "I'll tear the bastard apart! Answer me, Hana!"  
She just gave him a sad smile and shook her head. Kiba was about to get out of bed and corner her when he realized that the red markings that started under her chin and crossed her neck were claw tracks. He sat shock still, his eyes glancing over the familiar patterning of bruises and bite marks on her arms, neck and face. His blood went from cold to frigid when her hair shifted to one side and he saw the bite pattern centered around the area where her jugular vein would be.  
There was no way…he hadn't...

**Red tattoos….  
**_He wouldn't….  
_**'It's time to go, Kiba.'  
'Back the fuck off, woman!'  
**_Gods help him….  
_**'Now, Kiba!'  
'Like hell I'm listenin' to an asshole like you! I'll beat you to the fuckin' ground, you bitch!'**

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"You really should quit drinking, bratling." she said quietly, walking towards the door. "You're nothing but trouble, for me and everybody else, when you do. Amaya's sorry ass isn't worth all this."

_How could he have…_

Kiba eventually got the story from Ino, who had also been in the bar as things had gotten out of hand. Hana had gotten there sometime before the fight ended, even to this day he doesn't know who had the sense to call her, and in an attempt to calm him down, she had tried to reason with him.

It hadn't worked.

**__**

I'll keep a part of you with me  
And everywhere I am there you'll be

Even now, he couldn't remember seeing her. All he remembered was seeing the crimson triangles of the Inuzuka…and thinking that this was someone he could fight with that could hold their own. His anger had raged, and he lashed out, having no other way to deal with the broken feelings and pent up rage he had kept inside him for weeks on end. He remembered fists and claws, teeth and snarling, and finally enough blessed pain blossoming through his body that his mind shut down.

Ino had explained that when Hana had tried to pull him off the second man, he had turned on her instead. Through clenched teeth and glaring blue eyes, she related how Hana had fought with him, right there in the middle of the broken tables and shattered bottles. Hana had been barely conscious by the Sakura landed a good punch to his stomach, knocking him out, and prying him off Hana. She'd been bleeding heavily, and limping afterward. But she'd gotten him home and in bed none the less.

Kiba still felt guilty about that night, and what he'd done to her in his drunken rampage. It only made things worse when he couldn't remember any of what happened.

**__**

'Cause I always saw in you my light, my strength

But in the end, the lesson he'd learned was one of great value, and something his sister had been living by for years. Hana's philosophy was simple: It didn't matter how much you told someone something, until they experienced exactly what their decisions would lead them to, they weren't going to learn jack shit. Learning from mistakes, learning from trail and error, those were concepts she believed in, and practiced every day. He had finally understood that when she'd returned to the compound later that evening, her face still swollen despite the medic's healing.

It was hours later when he'd also realized something else.

Hana knew he was stronger in a fight than she was. They had learned long ago that her speed and agility were no match for his brute strength, especially when it was coupled with the affects of alcohol.

Had she purposely waded into the fight, knowing she was going to get hurt, in an attempt to make him see reason and realize once and for all that his drinking habit was only going to make things worse than they already were?

Knowing Hana….she probably had.

And he never really even had to wonder why Amaya had wound up in ICU for a few weeks after Hana had taken that beating. Amaya might have been a top rate kunoichi in the Intelligence department, but Hana on a rampage would make even one of the Sanin cringe.

Just ask Jiraiya….

**__**

And I want to thank you now for all the ways  
You were right there for me

What she had done was eerily reminiscent of the stories their uncle Hidge had told them about pulling their mother out of a bar fight with their eldest brother Shippou. Only this time, Tsume had been the one drunk and fighting, and Hidge and Shippou had been the ones trying to calm her down.

Their mother…

Dear gods in the heavens, it still hurt to even think of the woman. Especially when Hana acted so much like her. Kiba couldn't help but wonder if their mother would have went along with the wedding had she been around long enough.

**__**

You were right there for me

The fight with Akatsuki had claimed their mother's life, and that of her canine familiar Kuromaru. The chaos of that battle was nothing in comparison to the fight he and Hana had waged with the Inuzuka High Council three weeks after Tsume's funeral when he'd finally woken up from the coma he been knocked into during the fight.

**__**

For always

The bunch of decrepit old-timers had believed Hana to be too young to oversee the matters of the clan, and had suggested temporarily placing one of their own in the position of clan head until they deemed Hana worthy of taking her rightful position. They both had realized that if she'd agreed to their terms, she would loose the leadership of the clan for good. And neither of them were keen on the idea of turning leadership over to people their mother had often fought tooth and talon against just to keep the clan together.

Kiba had watched as she was put through the wringer over and over again, fighting for the beliefs their mother had instilled in them over the years. She dealt calmly with the seemingly impossible tasks the Council set before her. And every time he witnessed her struggle to complete yet another pointless objective they had given her, Kiba would growl and gnash his teeth, wishing he could wring some of the old codger's necks. Hana would just sigh a little, tell him to shut the hell up, and make himself useful if he was going to hover around her like that while she tried to sort through the assignment scrolls she'd been given.

**__**

In my dreams I'll always see you soar above the sky  
In my heart there'll always be a place for you  
For all my life

Eventually she had proven her point, and had been allowed, albeit grudgingly, to take her rightful place as clan Alpha. He'd never been prouder of her the day she had stood before the entire clan and the Council had finally announced her as the head of the family.

That wasn't to say she was all sweetness inside and out. Kiba knew far better than anyone else the other side of his seemingly calm natured sister. She had her own demons, just like every other person in the village, be they shinobi or civilian. He'd seen her rip an enemy nin's throat out without blinking, and attack with such a ferociousness that he was scared to move an inch least her feralness be redirected towards him. The amount of anger and aggressiveness was natural to any Inuzuka, but Hana had always seemed to have a tempered anger that burned hot and slow.

He'd seen her seduce and eviscerate a man within half and hour during one mission to Earth country. He'd puked up his lunch after he'd seen what she was capable of when she went emotionally cold. He'd bodily pulled her off a man who had made the stupid mistake of calling the Inuzuka a pack of wild animals that was being led by the biggest bitch in the village. The unfortunate bastard was lucky the only thing he'd lost was his left hand. Hana had been aiming a hell of a lot lower. He'd heard the damning rumors of how she'd run impromptu, sadistic interrogations while in the middle of missions just to pull valued information out of a captured enemy nin. Apparently Hana's tactics weren't as bad as Ibiki Morino's, but they weren't far from it.

_**I'll keep a part of you with me**_

No, she was not all sweetness and loving sentimentality.

"Kiba?" she asked. "What's wrong with you?"

"Nothing," he said.

And the dating…..that had been the worst part.

It seemed like the second after word got around that she'd been accepted as the clan head, a line of men had started forming at the compound doors. More than once, Kiba had found it necessary to knock the hell out of some guy and then frog march the persistent idiot out of the compound before bodily tossing him into the street just so Hana could get some peace and quiet. Despite his culling of potential suitors, one managed to slip past him.

Arakaki Daisuke, at least for the first four months or so, had seemed like the answer to their problems. Hana had met him while working at the clinic. The two had become friends quite easily, and a few weeks later, Hana had agreed to a date. Kiba had done a thorough background check on the guy and had not been able to dig up anything that he could logically use as leverage against the guy, so he had no choice but to let Hana do as she pleased. But things went to hell when Kiba found her in the back of the compound, fists pounding a punching bag while tears streamed down her face, almost six months after Daisuke and Hana had started dating.

He had been floored. Hana never cried. Never. At that time, he could only remember two times he'd seen her so upset she'd broken down into tears…and one of them was their mother's funeral. When he found out that Daisuke was the reason behind her uncharacteristic tears, he was confused. But when she had brokenly admitted that she'd caught him with another woman, his vision had blurred into scarlet bloodlust and he'd risen from his spot beside her without another word and went to hunt the guilty man down.

By the time it was all said and done, Daisuke was in the hospital's intensive care unit, and Kiba was making himself at home in one of the cells at the military police's headquarters.

Needless to say, it was Hana who posted his bail.

And it was that night, while she was walking home with him, that she ran into the man to whom she was now officially married to. Kiba remembered that night well enough.

He was still highly pissed, and on more on edge than he'd ever been. Hana's reassurances were doing nothing, and when they'd run into Kotetsu walking down the road, he'd asked if they'd wanted to grab a bite to eat. Hana had agreed readily, having been friends with the other chuunin for some time.

Kiba was too pissed to be of any company, and left the pair to their own devices.

It wasn't until weeks later that he realized he had actually beat Hana back home later that morning….and he hadn't gotten back to the compound until almost four-thirty in the morning.

That really should have been the first clue that Hagane was angling for more than just the friendship Hana could offer. But Kiba had missed it, somehow. Kotetsu had just slipped right under his over-protective radar in a way that the other's hadn't.

_And everywhere I am there you'll be_

"I know you're bored, but the least you could do is look a little interested in what's going on around you." Hana said softly, bringing his attention back to her.

"Sorry, nee-san."

"What's wrong with you, Kiba? You've been quiet all day."

"I…you…" Kiba stuttered. What was he supposed to say to her? That he was jealous? That he was scared she was going to leave him all alone and on his own now that she was married? Damnit all to hell and back! He didn't want to sound like some kind of whipped pup….but this was his sister's safety he was talking about. He'd never handed such a precious responsibility over to anyone else since their mother had died! "Damn it, nee-san, you were mine first."

__

**And everywhere I am there you'll be**

As the song began to fade out. Kiba swore he almost saw a glimmer of tears in her slightly stunned face.

She had always been there. He'd taken it for granted that she always would. He couldn't fathom it any other way, because that was the way things had always been. And now…now she was married and he was turning her well-being over to the man she now called her husband.

His……brother-in-law.

Kiba didn't like it.

"I know, runt." she whispered, hugging him tightly and laying her head on his broad shoulder, just like she'd always done after they'd both realized how much taller than her he was. "Gods above, don't I know it."

Kiba cleared his throat and smiled slightly, his voice a bare whisper that only another Inuzuka could have heard. "Hana…she'd be proud of you. Kaa-san, she'd be proud of what you've become."

"Are you?" she asked, not raising her head from his shoulder. Kiba stiffened slightly when he picked up the slight whiff of salty tears emanating from her.

She'd always been there, done so much for him. In his mind, he'd never be able to do as much for her; he'd never be even with her. She'd done too much for him over the years. And how had he repaid her?

By doubting her trust, by doubting her feelings for the man she was obviously head over heels in love with.

He had placed her on a pedestal…a place that no other woman he'd ever met could ever hope to reach. And she had been there for so long, there wasn't any other way he could see her.

What kind of man was he? What kind of shinobi was he? Hana was human, just like him. She deserved the chance to be happy, just like anyone else.

How could she even ask if he was proud of her? Did she not realize…..

"Always," he answered gruffly, hugging her tightly before taking a step back and grinning at her. Hana smiled and reached out to ruffle his hair, a move so familiar, so sibling-like, that it almost hurt. There was so much he wanted to say to her, but just couldn't.

"You didn't turn out so bad yourself, runt," she said with a slight smile. "Thank you, Kiba. You don't know what that means to me, to hear you say that." Hana smiled at him, and Kiba suddenly realized that his struggle to find the words to tell her how proud of her he was, how much he loved her, was unnecessary. Like so many times before, that soft smile, reserved only for him, was on her face. It was all the proof he needed that she realized what he was thinking a hell of a lot better than he himself did.

Somehow, that didn't surprise him in the least.

"Anytime, nee-san. Anytime."

"I don't plan on there being another time," a grumbling voice interrupted. Kiba glanced over and saw his new brother-in-law standing there with his perpetual lopsided grin and mussy hair.

Honestly, this guy was worse than Uzumaki.

Kiba gripped Hana's hand one more time and handed her over to the grinning idiot he now called Pack. "Take care of her, Hagane," he said, his eyes boring into Kotetsu's.

"I'll damned well do my best," the older man said, grinning like the cat who got the canary. Hana just smiled and led her new husband over to a group of people nearby. Kiba smiled when she glanced over her shoulder and winked at him one last time.

Some things never changed.

"Now see, that wasn't so bad, was it?" an amused voice said. Kiba didn't even have to look to know it was Sakura who had sidled up beside him.

"I guess not," he agreed reluctantly.

"She didn't act anything like this when we got married. Why such a hard time letting her go?" she asked quietly, laying her head on his shoulder, "Hana can take care of herself, and you know that as well as I do."

"What can I say? I'm possessive." he growled, wrapping an arm around her waist. If Hana was as happy with the grinning idiot as he had been with Sakura since they'd gotten married five years ago…..well, he really should quit being such an ass about it.

"So I've noticed," she said, rolling her eyes at him, "Come on, Mr. Alpha, you've got people who want to talk to you."

"Council members?"

"The Hokage."

"That's even worse," he muttered, sliding a hand over his weary face. Sakura just laughed quietly and began to pull him towards the blonde Hokage at the other end of the room. He chanced one last glance back where Hana was standing and met her dark eyes with his own.

She smiled. And stuck her tongue out at him.

Kiba just chuckled, flipped her a rather rude gesture with his hand, and proceeded to follow his wife towards her mentor.

Hana's laughter filled up the building.

__

**There you'll be**

**

* * *

**

_"She is your mirror, shining back at you with a world of possibilities. She is your witness, who sees you at your worst and best, and loves you anyway. She is your partner in crime, your midnight companion, someone who knows when you are smiling, even in the dark. She is your teacher, your defense attorney, your personal press agent, even your shrink. Some days, she's the reason you wish you were an only child."  
- Barbara Alpert_

**A/N -** _And yes, this can be considered a crack pairing. But I like the idea of Kotetsu and Hana. Don't ask me why.  
Anyhow, hope you enjoyed this little blurb. I always thought the familial relationships in the Naruto-verse needed a bit more exploration. Well, here's my attempt at some brotherly/sisterly Hana and Kiba mess. Hope I didn't screw things up too, too badly._

_Until next time,_

_A.A._

**P.S**. _Reviews are always welcome and encouraged. I really do love hearing what the readers have to say. It often gives me a different perspective to consider when writing_.


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